Combination torqueing and ratcheting wrench for irregular hexagonal members

ABSTRACT

A combination torqueing and ratcheting wrench for a hexagonal member, the wrench having a body with a handle portion extending in one direction and a torqueing jaw and ratcheting jaw extending in another direction, the torqueing and backup jaws having a space therebetween configured to engage at least portions of at least five sides of a hexagonal member for the rotation of the hexagonal member in either direction, the outer end of the torqueing jaw having two surfaces, one being a torqueing surface and the other a positioning surface, the surfaces having tangents which intercept each other at an angle of 120 degrees, the back jaw having at the outer end a backup surface having a tangent which is parallel the tangent of the torqueing surface and, the two surfaces at the outer end of the torqueing jaw being configured to engage the intersecting sides of a hexagonal member at one corner thereof while the backup surface engages the hexagonal member at the opposite corner thereof so that torque may be applied to the hexagonal member by the rotation of the handle in one direction but no torque is applied to the hexagonal member when the handle is rotated in the opposite direction.

United States Patent 11 1 Evans l[4 l*Nov. 25, 1975 COMBlNATlON TORQUEING AND RATCHETING WRENCH FOR IRREGULAR HEXAGONAL MEMBERS [76] lnventor: Janies P. Evans, 3233 sw. 23rd St.,

Oklahoma City, Okla. 73108 1 Notice: The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to Nov. 26, 1991, has been disclaimed.

[22] Filed: Nov. 20, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 525,298

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 418,549, Nov. 23,

1973, Pat. N0. 3,850,057.

Primary Examiner-Al Lawrence Smith Hssistant Examiner-James G. Smith Attorney, Agent, or FirmHead & Johnson [57] ABSTRACT A combination torqueing and ratcheting wrench for a hexagonal member, the wrench having a body with a handle portion extending in one direction and a torqueing jaw and ratcheting jaw extending in another direction, the torqueing and backup jaws having a space therebetween configured to engage at least portions of at least five sides of a hexagonal member for the rotation of the hexagonal member in either direction, the outer end of the torqueing jaw having two surfaces, one being a torqueing surface and the other a positioning surface, the surfaces having tangents which intercept each other at an angle of 120 degrees, the back jaw having at the outer end a backup surface having a tangent which is parallel the tangent of the torqueing surface and, the two surfaces at the outer end of the torqueing jaw being configured to engage the intersecting sides of a hexagonal member at one corner thereof while the backup surface engages the hexagonal member at the opposite corner thereof so that torque may be applied to the hexagonal member by the rotation of the handle in one direction but no torque is applied to the hexagonal member when the handle is rotated in the opposite direction.

8 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures US. Patent Nov. 25, 1975 COMBINATION TORQUEING AND RATCHETING WRENCH FOR IRREGULAR HEXAGONAL MEMBERS CROSS REFERENCE This is a continuation-in-part of application No. 418,549 filed Nov. 23, 1973 entitled COMBINA- TION TORQUEING AND RATCI-IETING WRENCH, now U.S. Pat. No. 3,850,057.

BACKGROUND, SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION In the copending application referred to above a wrench has been described of the type which, without any moving parts, is configured to engage a hexagonal member in one mode so that at least five sides of the hexagonal member are contacted and the hexagonal member can be rotated in either direction by rotation of the wrench handle. At the outer end of the jaws of the wrench are surfaces to engage a corner of a hexagonal member and one surface of an opposite corner so that when the wrench handle is rotated in one direction torque may be applied to the hexagonal member to rotate it, but when the handle is rotated in the opposite direction the wrench slides upon the periphery of the hexagonal member and does not impart torque to it. Thus the surfaces at the outer end of the jaw of the wrench are useful to ratchet a hexagonal member, that is, rotate it in one direction, by repeated movements of but, in addition, having alternate embodiments thereof for accomplishing the same results, Particularly, the wrench of this invention has torqueing and positioning surfaces at the outer end of the torqueing jaw in such a way that the hexagonal member to be rotated is contacted at intersecting sides adjacent a corner, but not at the corner itself. In this way, the wrench of the present disclosure can more readily accept and ratchet hexagonal members having slightly irregular configurations, such as rounded off corners.

When a hexagonal nut or bolt is repeatedly used there is a tendency for the corners to be rounded off or slightly deformed. For this reason it is sometimes difficult to accurately engage a wrench against the deformed hexagonal member for torqueing or retcheting it. An object of the present invention is to provide a wrench for both torqueing and ratcheting a hexagonal member having improved means of ratcheting an irregular hexagonal member.

More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide a wrench having no moving parts for both torqueing and ratcheting a hexagonal member, the wrench having opposed jaws, one being a torqueing jaw and the other a backup jaw, with a space between the jaws configured to engage at least portions of at least five sides of the hexagonal member to be rotated, and ha ing at the outer end of the torqueing jaw two surfaces each having a tangent, the tangents intersecting at an angle of about 120, and the back up jaw having, at the outer end thereof, a backup surface having a tangent which is parallel to the tangent of the torqueing surface and spaced from it a distance slightly greater than the width across the opposing faces of the hexagonal member to be rotated.

DESCRIPTION OF VIEWS FIG. 1 is an outline'of a typical hexagonal member showing representive dimensions.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a wrench embodying the invention in which the wrench is capable of either torqueing or ratcheting a hexagonal member. The torqueing surfaces are shown planar and with a recess therein to more readily accept irregular hexagonal members.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a wrench as shown in FIG. 2

but showing the torqueing surfaces having curvilinear configurations.

FIG. 4 is a view of a wrench as shown in FIG. 2 but wherein the torqueing surfaces are portions of a twenty four duo-sided figure.

FIG. 5 is a view of a wrench shown in FIG. 4 but wherein the torqueing surfaces are curvilinear.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1 is an outline of a typical hexagonal member 10, such as a nut, bolt or the like. The hexagonal member 1l0 has a distance between opposed faces of Y and a length along one edge of Z.

Referring to FIG. 2 an embodiment of the wrench of this invention is illustrated. The wrench includes a body 12 having a handle portion 14. Extending from the body 12 in a direction different from the handle 14 is a pair of spaced apart jaws, one being a torqueing jaw 16 and the other being a backup jaw 18. The spacing between the jaws, generally indicated by the numeral 20, is configured to engage at least portions of five sides of the hexagonal member 10. In the illustrations of FIGS.

2 and 3 the surfaces defining space 20 are in the form i 20 between the jaw 16 and 18 engages at least portions of at least five sides of a hexagonal member 10. In the arrangement of FIGS. 2 and 3 all offour sides of a hexagonal member are contactedby the wrench and a portion of the fifth side is contacted. The torque imparted to a hexagonal member by the configuration of FIG. 2

or FIG. 4 is substantially the same. The advantage of the configuration of FIG. 4 is that when torqueing a hexagonal member the wrench handle needs to be rotated (when the wrench is disengaged from a hexagonal member) only 30to obtain a new bite on the member, whereas with the configuration of FIG. 2 the wrench handle must be rotated 60 to get a new bite.

The hexagonal member 10, when positioned in space 20 between the jaws l6 and 18 of the wrench, may be rotated in either direction by rotation of the handle. Thus the wrench functions in the same way as an open end wrench or box end wrench and may be employed to apply high torque to a hexagonal member.

At the outer end of torqueing jaw 16 is a positioning surface 22 and a torqueing surface 24. Surfaces 22 and 24 do not contact a hexagonal member when it is positioned between the jaw 16 and 18 within space 20, but are used only for ratcheting purposes. Positioning surfaces 22 has a tangent 22A, and in like manner torqueing surface 24 has a tangent 24A. In FIG. 2, since the surfaces 22 and 24 are planar, the tangents 22A and 24A conform to the planes of the planar surfaces. The tangents 22A and 24A intersect each other at an angle of about 120 degrees, with precisely 120 degrees being the optimum.

The outer end of backup jaw 18 has a backup surface 26, which, in FIG. 2 is also shown to be planar. The backup surface 26 has a tangent 26A conforming to the plane of surface 26. Tangent 26A is parallel to tangent 24A and spaced from it a distance slightly greater than Y. The length B of the portion of tangent 24A which engages a hexagonal member is less than V; Z.

The positioning surface 22, torqueing surface 24 and backup surface 26 function to ratchet the hexagonal member 10. When the handle 14 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow the hexagonal member 10 will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow. When the handle 14 is moved in the direction opposite the arrow no torque is applied by the torqueing surface 24 to the member and the surfaces 22, 24 and 26 slide upon the peripheral surface of the hexagonal member without imparting torque. After the handle 14 has been rotated 60 degrees in the direction opposite the arrow a new bite can be had upon the hexagonal member so that when it is again rotated in the direction of the arrow torque will be applied. In this way, by repeated movement of the handle 14, the wrench surfaces 22, 24 and 26 can be caused to ratchet the hexagonal member and rotate it without removing contact of the wrench from the peripheral surfaces of the member.

In FIG. 2 the positioning surface 22 and torqueing surface 24 have a recess 28 therein. Recess 28 is cut away to either side of the intersection of tangents 22A and 24A. Recess 28 permits a hexagonal member having distorted corners to be snugly received by the wrench ratcheting surfaces. Many hexagonal nuts, bolts and other members are not completely symmetrical as manufactured. Even if they are initially symmetrical frequent usage tends to round off the corners of the members. This sometimes makes it difficult to accurately-engage a hexagonal member. The recess 20 receives any irregularity in the corners of the member to be rotated without detracting materially from the torque which may be applied by the wrench.

FIG. 3 shows a somewhat alternate embodiment of the invention. In this arrangement the positioning surface 22, torqueing surface 24 and backup surface 26 are all curvilinear. The positioning surface 22 has a tangent 22A which intersects a tangent 24A of torqueing surface at 120 degrees. Backup surface 26 has a tangent 26A which is parallel the tangent 24A and spaced from it a distance A which is slightly greater than Y. Between the curvilinear backup surface 22 and torqueing surface 24 is a curvilinear recess 28a which functions in the same way and for the same purpose as previously described with reference to recess 28 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 illustrates that the backup surface, torqueing surface and positioning surface do not have to be planar but may either be planar as shown in FIG. 2 or curvilinear as shown in FIG. 3. Obviously, the type and shape of the curved surfaces forming these ratcheting 4 surfaces of the wrench may vary as long as the surfaces provide tangents which conform to the hexagonal member so as to apply ratcheting torque to it in one direction and slide upon the member in the opposite direction.

FIG. 5 shows the curvilinear surfaces as described relative to FIG. 3 applied to a wrench wherein the space 20 between the jaws is of a portion of a twenty four sided figure. In FIG. 5 the backup surface 26 is planar while the positioning surface 22 and torqueing surface 24 are both curvilinear, showing that a combination of planar and curvilinear surfaces may be employed in construction of the wrench.

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement wherein the torqueing surface 24 comes to a sharp point in the plan view or a sharp line if the surface is viewed in the manner in which it engages the member 10. The sharp surface 24 has a tangent 24A which intersects the tangent 22A of backup surface 22 at an angle of degrees as previously described. The sharp configured torqueing surface 24 serves to bite into a hexagonal member to increase the torque imparting characteristics of the wrench. The matter forming sharpened surface 24 may harden or a hardened insert may be employed.

While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity and exactness it is understood that the invention is not to be so limited, and is not to be limited to the embodiment set forth herein. The actual appearance of wrenches embodying the invention may vary considerably. The invention is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalence which each element thereof is entitled.

What is claimed:

1. A combination torqueing and ratcheting wrench for an irregular hexagonal member in which the distance between opposing faces is Y and the length along a face is Z comprising:

a body having a handle portion extending in one direction and spaced apart jaws in a different direction, one of the jaws being a torqueing jaw and the other being a backup jaw;

the space between the jaws being configured to engage at least portions of at least five sides of a hexagonal member whereby a hexagonal member therein may be torqued by rotation at the handle relative to the member in either direction;

the jaws having an open space between the outer ends;

the torqueing jaw having, at the outer end thereof, two surfaces, one of the surfaces being a torqueing surface and the other surface being a positioning surface;

a tangent of the torqueing surface intersecting a tangent of the positioning surface at an angle of 120,

the backup jaw having, at the outer end thereof, a backup surface, a tangent at the backup surface being parallel said tangent of said torqueing surface, the parallel tangents being spaced apart slightly greater than Y,

the torqueing surface and positioning surface being condigured to engage the intersecting sides of one corner of a hexagonal member and the backup surface being configured to engage one side of an opposite corner of the hexagonal member whereby torque maybe applied to the hexagonal member by rotation of the handle portion in one direction;

wherein the length of said tangent of said torqueing surface engaging a hexagonal member is less than V; Z, and wherein said torqueing surface and said backup surface has a recess at the intersection of the tangents thereof whereby a hexagonal member engaged by such surfaces is not contacted at the corner.

2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the jaws is of a portion'of a hexagon in configuration.

3. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the jaws is of a portion of a twent-four sided figure.

4. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said backup surface is curvilinear.

5. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said n said posi- 7. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said torquening surface and positioning surface are both curvilinear.

8. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said recess between said torqueing surface and positioning surface is curvilinear. 

1. A combination torqueing and ratcheting wrench for an irregular hexagonal member in which the distance between opposing faces is Y and the length along a face is Z comprising: a body having a handle portion extending in one direction and spaced apart jaws in a different direction, one of the jaws being a torqueing jaw and the other being a backup jaw; the space between the jaws being configured to engage at least portions of at least five sides of a hexagonal member whereby a hexagonal member therein may be torqued by rotation at the handle relative to the member in either direction; the jaws having an open space between the outer ends; the torqueing jaw having, at the outer end thereof, two surfaces, one of the surfaces being a torqueing surface and the other surface being a positioning surface; a tangent of the torqueing surface intersecting a tangent of the positioning surface at an angle of 120 the backup jaw having, at the outer end thereof, a backup surface, a tangent at the backup surface being parallel said tangent of said torqueing surface, the parallel tangents being spaced apart slightly greater than Y, the torqueing surface and positioning surface being condigured to engage the intersecting sides of one corner of a hexagonal member and the backup surface being configured to engage one side of an opposite corner of the hexagonal member whereby torque may be applied to the hexagonal member by rotation of the handle portion in one direction; wherein the length of said tangent of said torqueing surface engaging a hexagonal member is less than 1/2 Z, and wherein said torqueing surface and said backup surface has a recess at the intersection of the tangents thereof whereby a hexagonal member engaged by such surfaces is not contacted at the corner.
 2. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the jaws is of a portion of a hexagon in configuration.
 3. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein the spacing between the jaws is of a portion of a twent-four sided figure.
 4. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said backup surface is curvilinear.
 5. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said torqueing surface is curvilinear.
 6. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said positioning surface is curvilinear.
 7. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said torquening surface and positioning surface are both curvilinear.
 8. A wrench according to claim 1 wherein said recess between said torqueing surface and positioning surface is curvilinear. 